Rising Sun Workshop

That ancient Mitre Ten store behind the discount chemist on King Street is the home of Rising Sun Workshop, Sydney’s first communal motorbike workshop and ramen bar. As a pop-up on Lennox Street it did ramen for lunch and dinner. Now chef Nick Smith has a proper kitchen and more seats.

Ramen is just one lunchtime option, and it comes in the same three styles served at the pop-up: light, dark and veg. There are bánh mìs after midday; a full breakfast menu; and charcoal roasted skewers for the night-time bar trade. Pair them with Young Henrys beers and cocktails.

Breakfast includes furikake (a dry Japanese seasoning) rice with pickles, sprouts and nuts; Hokkaido milk buns stuffed with egg, cheese and a kimchee slaw; and a “breakfast ramen” with buttered-toast broth, bacon, egg and tomato.

For dinner, Smith’s non-traditional yakitori skewers are joined by the occasional off-menu dinner special, dubbed the “secret dinner ramen”.

Motorcycle repairs go on nearby – the cafe sits on a raised platform right next to the workshop. The building has two storeys, with an upper mezzanine that looks into the kitchen and the motorcycle workshop. It’s a simple but clever design from architect and co-owner Heleana Genaus, with a lot of heritage elements maintained, impressive considering Rising Sun’s DIY, part-crowdfunded build.

The bike workshop works via memberships and hourly bookings. The rates are kept low because of the cafe and bar. For every coffee, cookie and bowl of noodles eaten you're helping someone else access the workspace.